Water-wheel



( No Model.)

J. H. INGRAM.

WATER WHEEL.

Patented Aug. 19, 1884.

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E In I M a a A 19 fl l W/T/VESSES I l/VVE/VTUB J52"! 1/.Inyra W AttorneyUNIT-En STATES JOHN H. INGRAM, or Aneus, ALABAMA.

WATER-WHEEL.

SaPECIFICATIbN forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,642, dated August19, 1884.

Application filed December 27, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN H. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Argus, in the county of Crenshaw and State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vate'r \Vheels, ofwhich the following is a specification, referfence being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in turbinewater-wheel's, and has for its objects to simplify the construction aswell as to make all the head of water available. These objects areattained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view.Fig. 2 is a view taken from the under side of the wheel. Fig. 3 is asection on the line a; 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5is a section of a bucket.

The'letter A indicates the case; B,the wheel. G is the bridge-tree. E isthe bearing for the shaft I). G is the follower. H is the stuffingboX. Iis the gate. J is the pinion-rack. K is the pinion-shaft. K is a plateor box covering the top of the pinion K, and forms a bearing for theshaft K. L is the stepfor the bottom of the shaft D. M are bracketssecured at the top to the bearing E and at the bottom to the case A. Pare the chutes. Q is the packing of the stuffing-box H.

The case A,with its top A and stuffing-box H, is a single piece ofcasting. The object of forming the case, chutes, and stuffing-box of asingle casting is to cheapen the manufacture of the wheel, as thisobviates the necessity of much labor in fitting the different partstogether, and at the same time avoids the employment as well as cost ofmany bolts. This applies with equal force to casting the wheel andbuckets in a single piece, and also to the follower, which, whenproperly fitted to the stuffing-box, is maintained in its properposition without the use of bolts. The top A is provided with a seriesof openings or chutes, l The gate I is provided with a central openingwhich surrounds the stuffing-box H, and is composed of a plate having aseries of openings, S, which correspond in number with the chutes P, andhas a pinion-rack, J, secured on top by suitable bolts. This rackengages with the pinion K,which is operated by the shaft K, by means ofwhich thegate I may be turned in either direction, so as to regulate thesupply of water to the chutes, and thence to the buckets. The wheel B issecured to the vertical shaft D, which passes through the bearing E andfollower G, and rests at the bottom on the step L. This wheel is asingle casting, in which the openings for the buckets It are made, andcorrespond in number to the openings in the gate and to the chutes. Theface of the buckets is square, and terminates in a gradual curve to thebottom, where the discharge-is made. The square sur face of the face ofthe buckets causes an abrupt resistance to the water, which, with thefull force of the motion of the water through and over the inclinedsurface of the discharge, causes the wheel to revolve with great power.WVhen the top of the casing is faced up true and the gate is also faced,it makes the case tight when the gate is closed.

The brackets and bearing E are tapped to gether and also to the case.The bridge-tree is tapped'to the bottom of the case.

Having described my invention, what I de sire to secure by LettersPatent, and claim, is 1. In a turbine wheel, a case, stufiingbox, andchutes, formed of a single casting, in combination with a wheel andbuckets of a single piece of metal, having a central shaft securedthereto, provided with a follower, substantially as described, and for,the purposes set forth.

2. In a turbine wheel, the case A, having rim A, stufling-box H, andchutes 1, formed of a single casting, and the brackets M, secured tosaid rim and supporting the bearing E, in combination with shaft 1),follower G, step L, and wheel 13, provided with buckets, having across-section as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. INGRAM.

Vitnesses:

I. N. JORDAN, H. H. HINDS.

